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Macroscopic graphene membranes and their extraordinary stiffness

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TLDR
A new and highly reliable approach for making graphene membranes of a macroscopic size and their characterization by transmission electron microscopy is described and it is found that long graphene beams supported by only one side do not scroll or fold, in striking contrast to the current perception of graphene as a supple thin fabric.
Abstract
The properties of suspended graphene are currently attracting enormous interest, but the small size of available samples and the difficulties in making them severely restrict the number of experimental techniques that can be used to study the optical, mechanical, electronic, thermal, and other characteristics of this one-atom-thick material. Here, we describe a new and highly reliable approach for making graphene membranes of a macroscopic size (currently up to 100 microm in diameter) and their characterization by transmission electron microscopy. In particular, we have found that long graphene beams supported by only one side do not scroll or fold, in striking contrast to the current perception of graphene as a supple thin fabric, but demonstrate sufficient stiffness to support extremely large loads, millions of times exceeding their own weight, in agreement with the presented theory. Our work opens many avenues for studying suspended graphene and using it in various micromechanical systems and electron microscopy.

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Journal ArticleDOI

The electronic properties of graphene

TL;DR: In this paper, the basic theoretical aspects of graphene, a one-atom-thick allotrope of carbon, with unusual two-dimensional Dirac-like electronic excitations, are discussed.
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Graphene: Status and Prospects

TL;DR: This review analyzes recent trends in graphene research and applications, and attempts to identify future directions in which the field is likely to develop.
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Control of graphene's properties by reversible hydrogenation: Evidence for graphane

TL;DR: This work illustrates the concept of graphene as a robust atomic-scale scaffold on the basis of which new two-dimensional crystals with designed electronic and other properties can be created by attaching other atoms and molecules.
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Graphene: The New Two-Dimensional Nanomaterial

TL;DR: The status of graphene research is presented, which includes aspects related to synthesis, characterization, structure, and properties.
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Science and technology roadmap for graphene, related two-dimensional crystals, and hybrid systems

Andrea C. Ferrari, +68 more
- 04 Mar 2015 - 
TL;DR: An overview of the key aspects of graphene and related materials, ranging from fundamental research challenges to a variety of applications in a large number of sectors, highlighting the steps necessary to take GRMs from a state of raw potential to a point where they might revolutionize multiple industries are provided.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

Electric Field Effect in Atomically Thin Carbon Films

TL;DR: Monocrystalline graphitic films are found to be a two-dimensional semimetal with a tiny overlap between valence and conductance bands and they exhibit a strong ambipolar electric field effect.
Journal ArticleDOI

The rise of graphene

TL;DR: Owing to its unusual electronic spectrum, graphene has led to the emergence of a new paradigm of 'relativistic' condensed-matter physics, where quantum relativistic phenomena can now be mimicked and tested in table-top experiments.
Book

Theory of elasticity

TL;DR: The theory of the slipline field is used in this article to solve the problem of stable and non-stressed problems in plane strains in a plane-strain scenario.
Journal ArticleDOI

Superior Thermal Conductivity of Single-Layer Graphene

TL;DR: The extremely high value of the thermal conductivity suggests that graphene can outperform carbon nanotubes in heat conduction and establishes graphene as an excellent material for thermal management.
Journal ArticleDOI

Graphene-based composite materials

TL;DR: The bottom-up chemical approach of tuning the graphene sheet properties provides a path to a broad new class of graphene-based materials and their use in a variety of applications.
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